Multi-Connected Air Conditioner Unit and Method of Operating the Same

ABSTRACT

A multi-connected air conditioner unit and method of operating the same, wherein, when an air-side heat exchanger is put into operation, and a water-side heat exchanger is not put into operation, a four-way valve is used to control a refrigerant to pass through said air-side heat exchanger, in realizing the refrigerating or heating operation of said unit; when said air-side heat exchanger is not put into operation, and said water-side heat exchanger is put into operation, said four-way valve is used to control said refrigerant to pass through said water-side heat exchanger to heat water, in achieving full recovery of heat; when both said compressors are put into operations concurrently, a dispenser is used to transport refrigerant oil separated by a second oil separator to an oil inlet pipe, then it is input to said compressor via an air suction pipe; and when a portion of compressor is put into operation, and another portion of compressor is not put into operation, since said air suction pipe is installed upright, said refrigerant oil getting into said compressor not in operation will return to said dispenser under action of gravitational force, then it will move into said compressor in operation, hereby ensuring safety of compressor operations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multi-connected air conditioner unit,and in particular to a multi-connected air conditioner unit and methodof operating the same.

2. Background of the Invention

In general, a multi-connected air conditioner unit includes: a chassis,and a fixed speed compressor, a digital compressor, a first oilseparator, a four-way valve, a water-side heat exchanger, an air-sideheat exchanger, a super-cooling circuit, a second oil separator, acontrol box, a refrigeration system component, and connection pipe linesdisposed thereon. However, the existing multi-connected air conditionerunit has quite a lot of problems and shortcomings concerning itsfunctions, applications, and performance, so it can no longer fulfillthe requirements of the users. Therefore, there is an urgent need for amulti-connected air conditioner unit, that is able to meet the variousdemands of users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, the presentinvention provides a multi-connected air conditioner unit, so as toovercome the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.

A major objective of the present invention is to provide amulti-connected air conditioner unit and method of operating the same,the air conditioner unit includes: a chassis, and a fixed speedcompressor, a digital compressor, a first oil separator, a four-wayvalve, a water-side heat exchanger, an air-side heat exchanger, asuper-cooling circuit, a second oil separator, a control box, adispenser, an oil inlet pipe, an air suction pipe, a refrigerationsystem component, and connection pipe lines disposed thereon, wherein, aset of heat recovery devices are additionally provided in a cavity ofthe water-side heat exchanger. Said method comprising the followingsteps: when the air-side heat exchanger is put into operation, and thewater-side heat exchanger is not put into operation, the four-way valveis used to control the refrigerant to pass through the air-side heatexchanger, in realizing the refrigerating or heating operation of theunit; when the air-side heat exchanger is not put into operation, andthe water-side heat exchanger is put into operation, the four-way valveis used to control the refrigerant to pass through the water-side heatexchanger to heat water, in achieving full recovery of heat; when boththe compressors are put into operations concurrently, the dispenser isused to transport the refrigerant oil separated by the second oilseparator to the oil inlet pipe, then it is input to the compressor viathe air suction pipe; and when a portion of compressor is put intooperation, and another portion of compressor is not put into operation,since the air suction pipe is installed upright, the refrigerant oilgetting into the compressor not in operation will return to thedispenser under the action of gravitational force, then it will moveinto the compressor in operation, hereby ensuring the safety ofcompressor operations.

Preferably, an outer shell is provided for the control box, and apartition plate is disposed inside the outer shell, such that they forman upper receiving space and a lower receiving space. Preferably, therim of chassis through hole is provided with a fastening portion tofasten a suspension rope. Preferably, the compressors are wrapped aroundwith muffling devices. Preferably, the bottom plate and side plate ofthe control box are provided with holes for electric wires to passthrough. Preferably, the heat recovery device is provided with waterinlet holes and water outlet holes.

In the present invention, the multi-connected air conditioner unit ismade of components capable of realizing multiple functions, thus itachieves great improvements over the prior art in functions,applications, and performance, as such fulfilling the requirements ofuser.

Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changesand modifications within the spirit and scope of the present inventionwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The related drawings in connection with the detailed description of thepresent invention to be made later are described briefly as follows, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-connected air conditioner unitaccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a multi-connected air conditioner unitaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The purpose, construction, features, functions and advantages of thepresent invention can be appreciated and understood more thoroughlythrough the following detailed description with reference to theattached drawings.

In view of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, the presentinvention provides a multi-connected air conditioner unit and method ofoperating the same. Refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a perspective view of amulti-connected air conditioner unit according to the present invention,and a circuit diagram of a multi-connected air conditioner unitaccording to the present invention respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, themulti-connected air conditioner unit comprising: a chassis 1, and afixed speed compressor 2, a digital compressor 3, a first oil separator4, a four-way valve 5, a water-side heat exchanger 6, an air-side heatexchanger 7, a super-cooling circuit 8, a second oil separator 9, acontrol box 10, a dispenser 14, an oil inlet pipe 15, an air suctionpipe 16, a refrigeration system components, and connection pipe linesdisposed thereon. Wherein, the control box 10 includes an outer shell11, and a partition plate (not shown) inside the outer shell 11, suchthat they form an upper receiving space and a lower receiving space, sothe electronic components that are not used frequently are put in thelower receiving space, and the electronic components that are usedfrequently are put in the upper receiving space to save space andprovide convenience in usage. A fastening portion 12 for fasteningsuspension rope is provided around the rim of the through hole ofchassis 1, so that when the suspension rope passes the through hole insuspension, the fastening portion 12 will fasten the suspension rope, toprevent it from slipping to achieve stable suspension. Muffling devicesare wrapped around the compressors, that are made of following materialsin preference sequence of sponge, lead plate, sponge and recycledplastic, such that the frequency range of noise absorption issufficiently wide, ranging from high frequency to low frequency, toachieve effective noise reduction. In the cavity of the water-side heatexchanger 6 is provided with a set of heat recovery devices, that aredisposed with water inlet holes and water outlet holes, to heat waterand provide water of high temperature for daily usage, so as to saveenergy consumption. The bottom plate and side plate of the control box10 is provided with holes 13 for the electric wires to pass throughproperly, in saving the electric wires utilized and facilitatinginstallation.

The present invention also provides a method of operating themulti-connected air conditioner unit, comprising the following steps:when the air-side heat exchanger 7 is put into operation, and thewater-side heat exchanger 6 is not put into operation, the four-wayvalve 5 is used to control the refrigerant to pass through the air-sideheat exchanger 7, in realizing the refrigerating or heating operation ofthe unit; when the air-side heat exchanger 7 is not put into operation,and the water-side heat exchanger 6 is put into operation, the four-wayvalve 5 is used to control the refrigerant to pass through thewater-side heat exchanger 6 to heat the water, in achieving fullrecovery of heat and providing water of high temperature for dailyusage, thus saving energy; when both the compressors are put intooperations concurrently, the dispenser 14 is used to transport therefrigerant oil separated by the second oil separator 9 to an oil inletpipe 15, then it is input to the compressor via the air suction pipe 16;and when a portion of compressor is put into operation, and anotherportion of compressor is not put into operation, since the air suctionpipe 16 is installed upright, the refrigerant oil getting into thecompressor not in operation will return to the dispenser 17 under theaction of gravitational force, then it will move into the compressor inoperation, hereby ensuring the safety of compressor operations.

In the present invention, the multi-connected air conditioner unit ismade of components capable of realizing multiple functions, thus itachieves great improvements over the prior art in functions,applications, and performance, as such fulfilling the requirements ofuser.

The above detailed description of the preferred embodiment is intendedto describe more clearly the characteristics and spirit of the presentinvention. However, the preferred embodiments disclosed above are notintended to be any restrictions to the scope of the present invention.Conversely, its purpose is to include the various changes and equivalentarrangements which are within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A multi-connected air conditioner unit and method of operating thesame, said air conditioner unit includes: a chassis, and a fixed speedcompressor, a digital compressor, a first oil separator, a four-wayvalve, a water-side heat exchanger, an air-side heat exchanger, asuper-cooling circuit, a second oil separator, a control box, adispenser, an oil inlet pipe, an air suction pipe, a refrigerationsystem component, and connection pipe lines disposed thereon, wherein, aset of heat recovery devices are additionally provided in a cavity ofsaid water-side heat exchanger, and it is characterized in that, saidmethod comprising following steps: when said air-side heat exchanger isput into operation, and said water-side heat exchanger is not put intooperation, said four-way valve is used to control refrigerant to passthrough said air-side heat exchanger, in realizing the refrigerating orheating operation of said unit; when said air-side heat exchanger is notput into operation, and said water-side heat exchanger is put intooperation, said four-way valve is used to control said refrigerant topass through said water-side heat exchanger to heat water, in achievingfull recovery of heat; when both said compressors are put intooperations concurrently, said dispenser is used to transport refrigerantoil separated by said second oil separator to an oil inlet pipe, then itis input to said compressor via said air suction pipe; and when aportion of compressor is put into operation, and another portion ofcompressor is not put into operation, since said air suction pipe isinstalled upright, said refrigerant oil getting into said compressor notin operation will return to said dispenser under action of gravitationalforce, then it will move into said compressor in operation, herebyensuring safety of compressor operations.
 2. The multi-connected airconditioner unit and method of operating the same as claimed in claim 1,and it is characterized in that: said control box includes an outershell, and a partition plate inside said outer shell, to form a lowerportion receiving space and an upper portion receiving space.
 3. Themulti-connected air conditioner unit and method of operating the same asclaimed in claim 1, and it is characterized in that: rim of a throughhole of said chassis is provided with a fastening portion to fasten asuspension rope.
 4. The multi-connected air conditioner unit and methodof operating the same as claimed in claim 1, and it is characterized inthat: said compressors are wrapped around with muffling devices.
 5. Themulti-connected air conditioner unit and method of operating the same asclaimed in claim 1, and it is characterized in that: a bottom plate andside plates of said control box are provided with holes for electricwires to pass through.
 6. The multi-connected air conditioner unit andmethod of operating the same as claimed in claim 1, and it ischaracterized in that: said heat recovery device is provided with waterinlet holes and water outlet holes.